Wasteland:Picture Brainiac as the logical sci-fi extension of AI research and crimefighting/counterterrorism: an ultra-authoritarian Big Brother that manages to infest most of the world's networks before anyone notices what it's up to. It demands that humanity live in peace as rational beings- and will nuke us, turn drones on us or simply take all our toys away, the moment we make one false move. Like Superman, it's a transhuman intelligence with its own notions of Truth and Justice and a vision for humanity's future. It has no body to punch, no secret core system to heat-vision into slag, and can hold the entire species hostage against Supes and his interference. Even if Brainiac is bluffing on that last point, it may well be that the only way to stop it is to undo the entire Information Age and then start over from untainted systems.

karasoth:Bill Frist: dalbuc: Superman also has no rivals anyone cares about. Batman has rivals that people want to see - the Joker being likely the best arch-villain out there. Superman doesn't have anyone that sniffs Joker level and really nothing at the Catwoman/Penguin level.

Lex is a cool villain, but everyone else in Superman's rogue gallery is pretty farking dumb. I mean, who are the next biggest ones? Brainiac and Mr. Mxyzptlk?

For the love of God, just don't make Superman all dark and angsty. I hate how the fanboys have won and now everything has to be dark and serious or else they get their panties in a wad that directors aren't taking their favorite childhood hero/cartoon character seriously enough. Case in point: the persistent hate for the 60s Batman show. But it's a totally legit take on Batman. It was well-written, had good actors, and had a high budget (for its time). The writers knew exactly what they were doing and it works on different levels. It's a hell of a lot better then the dour and sanctimonious Dark Knight Rises and definitely better than the Burton/Schumacher messes of the 90s.

What I'm saying is - keep Superman lighthearted and don't turn him into Space Jesus. Not everything has to be dark and angry.

It is hard to come up with a plausible antagonist when the protagonist can:A: Move so fast he can draw spewing dongs over the bad guy's face before the bad guy can even start his "I'm going to take over the world" speech.B: Go back in time and give the bad guy's grandfather a case of condoms AND a cock punch so hard it changes the tides.C: Simply shove the entire planet into the sun if he gets bored.